How to get around

Wondering how to get around by public transport, on foot, by car or by motorbike? Brussels and Wallonia both have wide reaching public transport networks.

Here is some useful information regarding the different modes of transport for getting around in the city and outside:

By foot

If you’ve just arrived in Brussels, we advise you to get your hands on a map of Brussels, to make it easier for yourself to travel around the city. Free maps of the city are available in most hotels, as well as in the Tourist Office on the Brussels Grand Place.
Maps are also widely available from tourist offices in the major cities of Wallonia.
Online maps exist, notably on editor De Rouck’s website (Maps - Welcome to De Rouck), or on the Mappy website (Mappy - Road Guide), which is useful for pedestrians, thanks to its “pedestrian” option which gives you access to a number of walking routes which take into account streets and alleys that are closed to traffic.
It is important to mention the STIB/MIVB (Brussels’ public transport company), whose website allows you not only to find your nearest metro, tram or bus stop, but also to calculate a journey between two address, combining walking and public transport!

Metro, tram and bus – urban public transport

In all the major cities of Brussels and Wallonia you will find a well-organised public transport network: trams and buses as well as a metro in Brussels. You can buy discounted combination tickets and travelcards.

All of Brussels' public transport network is managed by the STIB/MIVB and you can find all sorts of useful information on its website STIB - Brussels Transport.

But the STIB/MIVB isn’t the only public transport company that runs through Brussels. In fact, the Flemish and Walloon transport companies run buses than go into and out of Brussels, therefore, linking the capital to its suburbs:

On the Flemish side, several De Lijn buses connect to Brussels: De Lijn (choose the ‘Reisinformatie’ paragraph, then the ‘Reiswegplanner’ and select your departure and destination).
To get around using public transport in Wallonia, check the following companies:

Vélo

There is a dedicated website for everything bikes and cycling in the Brussels-Capital region.
Whether you’re a regular or occasional cyclist, the website has an impressive amount of useful information:
The following links can give you even more information:Les Cyclistes QuotidiensBrussels Capital by bikePro Velo

Train

The SNCB/NMBS (The Belgian National Rail Service) SNCB Railway Transport has numerous stations in Brussels and Wallonia, making the train a practical mode of transport.

Taxi

In the Brussels-Capital region, there are close to 1300 taxis, 81 of which for persons of reduced mobility, as well as 89 vehicles to rent with a chauffeur.

For all your questions, please visit:

Brussels Taxi where you can post what you are looking forTaxi ! which is a mine of information regarding taxis.
You can also contact the multilingual call centre on 0800/14.795 where they will do their utmost to satisfy all your demands.

It is accessible from Monday to Friday from 8 :30am to 4 :30pm. You can leave a message outside of hours.

By car and motorbike

Traffic in Brussels, like all major cities is heavy.

The Mappy website (Mappy - Road Guide) comes to the aid of those who need to travel by car or motorbike in Brussels.
The Let’s Move website (Let's Move) offers street maps and accurate route planners.
The Via Michelin website is also a valuable reference: Via Michelin.

Remember, the speed limit is 50km/h throughout the Brussels area. There are certain exceptions, however, notably: some main axes, when clearly indicated, the limit rises to 70km/h, residential zones, where the limit is 30km/h.

If you would like to rent a vehicle during your stay in Brussels, you will be pleased to know that most of the big international car rental companies (and some motorbike rental companies too) have an agency at Brussels National Airport in Zaventem, as well as at Brussels South (Midi/Zuid) station (at the Eurostar and Thalys terminal). Companies such as:
Rent-a-car: Rent a car
Avis: Avis
Hertz: Hertz
Sixt :Sixt

Or you could use the carpooling and car sharing systems:
Taxistop’s carpooling or car sharing system lets you find people with whom you can share a journey to, for example, your workplace, and save on the cost of travel: Carpool
Cambio’s car sharing or carpooling system (Cambio) and Taxistop (Taxistop - Partage de voitures), have vehicles parked at different locations all over the city, that can be used for short times.

Travel by boat

It is a lesser-known fact that Brussels has a port and is, therefore, an important city on Belgium’s maritime business map.
More than 300 businesses are based at the port, and international traffic makes up 70% of the port’s traffic.

DesThere are fluvial activities on offer to tourists and aficionados in the region, notably boat trips at the Brussels port, or mini-cruises down the Scheldt river (Escaut) from Brussels and Vilvorde (among others):LES PARCOURS DE LA FONDERIE 2008 (BRUXELLES).